Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-12
THE MILFORD FIRE

Of IncendIary Original Library, Gro-
 cery and Drug Store Burned and the
 PostOff1ce Damaged-A Loss of over
 Ten Thousand Dollars.
 The fire in Milford, which was exclusively
 reported in the COURIER of Saturday, turned
 out to have been the largest which that town
 has ever had. Hart Sperry, citizen half
 mile away, saw on the walls of his bedroom
 the light from some confagration and rush
 ing out found flames bursting forth from the
 postofice block on River street. He gave an
 alarm and shortly Arctic engine company re-
 sponded with about forty men. They were
 assisted by throng of citizens. The fire, which started in a stairway leading from the first floor to barber shop above, had gained headway, but by the indomitable energy of the men, directed by Foreman William H. Andrews and Assistant Foreman E. L. Ford, the flames were got under control and kept from spreading to adjoining buildings. Wa ter was taken from Wopowaug river, few | feet from the fre That Milford fremen are well organized and good workers is shown by the result of this fire, which is one-haf of \ wooden structure saved while the other half | is almost entirely destroyed. The boys work | ed necessarily with their hand engine. At \ o | church bells rung. A dispatch was sent to ! this city for help and it was responded to by Chief Hendrick with forty men and steam ' CT, who arrived at o'clock. The fire was \ then under complete control, and while the \ steamer was not taken from the car the New \ Haven force took hold with the Milford boys \ and did what they could.
 The building was of wood, two and three \ story structure, ,and was owned by George M. Gum, prosecuting attorney of this city. He \ had recently expended $1, 300 in repairing the \ building. It was valued at $1O, 900 and in- \ sured for $7, 900. The parties occupying the ! block who were burned out or damaged are \ Baldwin 6 Miller, grocers, all stock and fix \ lures destroyed; loss 8, 500. Over this store \ was Charles Wilhelmys barber shop; total loss $500. In the rear of the shop was the Milford club room, which with the fixtures | was burned; loss about $20o Adjoining the | grocery, first foor, James D. Higby. druggist, \ lost all except few showcases; loss $2, ,5OO: \ On the second floor the Milford library of \ 1, 200 volumes, some of them of great age and cannot be replaced, was totally destroyed; loss over $1 ,000. On the library floor was ' the law office of ex-Senator Gum, the \ owner of the block. All in the office was burned except a cherry desk, 150 years old \ which had descended to him from his great k great grandfather. The desk belonged orig \ inally to one John Stowe, the man who took care of the sick soldiers taken from British ships during the reVoluLlOn. 1nelr dlseAse \ was ship fever, which Stowe caught, and \ dying from it was buried with them near \ where the soldiers monument in Milford \ cemetery now stands. Over MT. Gunn's \ office was Stephen Glenny's photograph \ rooms His total loss was $500. The post Y office was invaded by the flames and for a \ time it's destruction was imminent. Post master w. B. Brotherton was on hand and \ removed all mail matter to the town clerks | office across the street with only slight dam \ age No letters were burned. The morning \ mails were made up and forwarded Sat \ urday without delay, the office of the town clerk for the time being serving as a mailing room. s. T. and M. c. Ford, un- dertakers, over the postoffice, were slightly \ damaged.
 A word of praise should be said for the | Arctic engine company, for it's members \ fought the flames bravely. The town will | offer a reward of $500 for the detection of ' the guilty parties and Mir. Gum says that he will offer $250 in addition. There is positive proof that the fire was of incendiary origin. Between the bottom of the door at the foot of the stairway and the sill there is quite an opening, and through this had been poured quite a quantity of kerosene. Most of the oil appears to have run through to the floor
 of the grocery as the smell of the oil was the strongest there The odor and other traces of the oil which was used to set fire to the building are still very apparent.